DIVERSIONS
50 PRESTIGE J U LY 2019
IN BLOOM
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Rendez-Vous
Sonatina comes extended this year with
three new references limited to just eight
pieces each. Orchids are brought to life
here with a combination of metiers d’art
techniques on the dial of each timepiece,
which has an alarm complication
and a day/night indicator.Four Decades and Counting
Watch retailer The Hour Glass is celebrating its
40th anniversary this year, and has promised a slew of
commemorative watches developed in conjunction with
its closest partners. The first of them to be unveiled is this
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph,
rendered entirely in platinum, and dressed in the brand’s
signature green and gold colourway. Just 20 pieces of
this limited-edition watch will be produced, but expect
more special editions from other brands, including Ulysse
Nardin, TAG Heuer and Sinn.WORTHY
CAUSES
Rolex has named five laureates
for the 2019 edition of the
Rolex Awards For Enterprise, an
initiative under Rolex’s Perpetual
Planet campaign that seeks to
recognise and support individuals
for projects that “will improve life
on the planet”. Rolex funds and
supports the award winners to
further their causes and create
greater impact.
Among the laureates this
year is Switzerland-based
scientist Grégoire Courtine, who
is developing an implantable
electronic “bridge” to help
paralysed people walk again.
Another, Ugandan Brian
Gitta, is conducting trials on a
low- cost, portable device that
tests for malaria in minutes
without requiring a blood
sample. Meanwhile, Canadian
entrepreneur and molecular
biologist Miranda Wang was
conferred the award for her work
in extracting high-value industrial
chemicals from low-grade,
unwanted plastic waste.
Other activities under
Perpetual Planet include working
with the National Geographic
Society to collect climate data
and supporting Sylvia Earle’s
Mission Blue initiative to protect
the oceans through a network of
protected marine “Hope Spots”.The 2019 winners (from left): Brian Gitta,
Krithi Karanth, Grégoire Courtine, Miranda
Wang and João Campos-Silva